1: Let as many slaves as are under the yoke count their own masters
worthy of all honor that the name of God and his doctrine be not blasphemed 2:
And they that have believing masters let them not despise them because they are
brethren but rather do them service because they are faithful and beloved
partakers of the benefit These things teach and exhort [1] 3:
If any teach otherwise and consent not to [the] wholesome words [of] our Lord
Jesus Christ[2]
and [to the] teaching which is according to godliness 4: [They are]
proud knowing nothing but obsessing about questions and strifes of words from
which come envy strife slanders [of] evil suspicions 5: Perverse
disputings with those of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth supposing
that gain is godliness[3]
from such withdraw yourselves 6: But godliness with contentment is great
gain 7: For we brought nothing into [the] kosmos and it is certain we can carry nothing out 8: And
having food and clothing let us be content with these 9: For they that
will be rich fall into temptation and a snare and into many foolish and hurtful
lusts which drown them in destruction and perdition 10: For the love of
money is the root of all evil which while some coveted after they have erred
from the faith and pierced themselves through with many sorrows[4] 11:
But thou O man of God flee these things and follow after righteousness godliness
faith love patience meekness 12: Fight agōnizomai the
good fight agōn of faith Lay hold on eternal life to which you
are also called and have professed a good profession before many witnesses 13:
[I] charge you [I] declare before Theos[5]
the GODHEAD [Colossians 2:9] who makes alive all things and Iesous Christos who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession 14:
That you keep this charge without spot blameless until the [glorious] appearing
of our Lord Jesus Christ[6] 1
Thessalonians 4:13-18 15: Who [in] HIS season HE shall prove who
is the blessed and only Potentate the King of kings and Lord of lords[7] 16:
Who alone has immortality[8]
dwelling in the light which no one can approach unto whom none has seen nor can
see[9] to
whom be honor and power everlasting Amen
17: Charge them that are rich in this world that they be not high-minded
nor trust in uncertain riches but in the living God who give us richly all
things to enjoy 18: Do good Become rich in good works to be ready to
give inclined to become [socially and financially] involved 19: storing
up for themselves a good foundation against [that which] is coming that they
may lay hold on eternal life
20: O Timotheos guard that which is committed to your trust avoiding profane and useless discussions even [the] antithesis [and] pseudonymos of knowledge 21: Which some profess [to understand and] have erred concerning the faith Grace be with you Amen
20: O Timotheos guard that which is committed to your trust avoiding profane and useless discussions even [the] antithesis [and] pseudonymos of knowledge 21: Which some profess [to understand and] have erred concerning the faith Grace be with you Amen
[1] The subject of 1 Timothy 6, is slavery.
Paul did not change the subject after verse two but, because he could not
safely or legally address the sinfulness of slavery overtly, he sought both the
spiritual and physical welfare of all of his flock (both slave and free) by
addressing the root causes of all sin.
There had obviously been disputes about the rightness or
wrongness of slavery. And, in chapter six, the apostle deals with the issue in
a way that would have resolved the issue completely, if Christian hearts had
been committed to living in God’s love and Christ’s example of humility. As
late as the 19th Century, many Christian leaders insisted that the
first few verses of Timothy chapter six, taught that slavery was mandated and
ordained by God. This passage was wrongly used to that effect. Most
contemporary Christian leaders agree that the verses in Timothy have
historically been misused, and great harm has been done because of that.
Slavery in ancient Rome was just as wrong as slavery in the
the British Empire or slavery in the United States, but early Christians cannot
be criticized for not becoming the first abolitionists. From this letter, it
appears that some were and hot debate [on the subject] was going on. But few
among the ancient peoples ever questioned slavery. It was too dangerous to do
so and simply part of life. This writer believes the modern mind is so far
divorced from the context of our forebear’s living reality, that great effort
must be made to understand the risks and fear [associated with cultural change]
that must have been an ever-present part of ancient life.
Slavery was the law of the land, and early Christians faced
crucifixion or worse for fomenting rebellion against Roman policy. At first,
most believers were not citizens and were protected by few rights—and those, only if they toed the line.
Slavery was an institution of Rome, passed down from the
Greeks. Ancient Rome was a Greek culture. All ancient cultures had slavery.
Some modern cultures still do. It was wrong then, and it is wrong now, but few
people, even today, would risk crucifixion or some other cruel death, in order
to become change agents. In the Roman Empire, death was guaranteed for
dissenters.
Through-out history, conviction in Christian hearts, has
brought about much improvement and relief from suffering, including the
abolition of slavery in the British Empire and the United States…but not in
ancient Rome. That culture did not permit such movements, and mass-killings
quickly discouraged any who might get any such ideas.
Paul was a great traveler, spending his life for the
gospel. He eventually became a prisoner of Rome, continuing his care for the
churches while living under house arrest. The death penalty hung over his head
for years. He knew the sentence would eventually be executed, and for nothing
less than preaching the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. He understood better than
most, that causes must prioritized…At
that time.
There is a time
and a season for every purpose under
Heaven…. Nothing could be gained by fomenting rebellion over slavery in the
Roman Empire. The time for rising up against slavery had not yet come. Nothing but mass death could be accomplished by
fomenting rebellion over the issue. All
abolitionists would die; all
rebellious slaves would die. This was not to be a permanent situation. The time
would come when that would change.
But not in Paul’s day. So the apostle did the only thing he could. He wrote to
the young pastor and did his best to squelch the fiery debate between those who
rightly saw the evil of slavery and the slave-holders whose hearts were not
surrendered to God.
The only thing Paul could do, was encourage discipleship
and Christian growth through love and humility. When the Holy Spirit has
control of a heart, that person will
do what is right. Paul knew that change comes from within. Outward laws must be
enacted to protect the oppressed, only because people do not heed the laws that
are already “written on our hearts.” Until hearts change, restraint must come
through civil laws. But, concerning the sin of slavery, abolishing it was not a
possibility in Paul’s day. Paul did what he could to mitigate the cruel effects of
slavery on both slave and master, but he never condoned it.
[2] Paul appeals to the Words of Jesus.
Jesus said to treat others as we would have others treat us. If we do that, we
fulfill the Word and Will of God. The apostle knew that, if they were so
inclined, slave owners had the legal right to free their slaves, but he could
not suggest such a thing. His letter to Philemon, concerning the slave,
Onesimus, shows how sensitive and dangerous the subject of slavery was. It also
shows how much faith Paul had in Philemon to read between the lines, do the
right thing, and not kill Onesimus, but rather, to allow him to return to Paul
and fulfill his calling and service to God.
This passage on slavery, is relevant to the issue of
gender-role-religion. Like slavery, gender-role-religion was never mandated by
God and the cultural context is no longer relevant. Many of the same arguments
used to keep slaves in bondage are still used today to keep women in
illegitimate subservience to men. Paul dealt with the woman issue along with
slavery and racial prejudice in his letter to the Galatians. He chided them for
not tearing down the walls of prejudice that separated races, masters, slaves,
women, and men. He said that even though the secular world was full of those
things, they did not belong among Christians, who were all ONE in Christ Jesus.
[3] These would likely be professing
believers defending slavery (the subject of verses one and two has not changed)
against true believers who were convicted in their hears that slavery was
wrong. The debate had heated up to the point where the debate itself had become
sinful and possibly legally dangerous. The apostle saw a need to shut it down
altogether.
[4] This verse appears to contradict the
doctrine of eternal security/once saved always saved. https://hungryheartsministries.blogspot.com/2017/09/once-saved-always-saved-doctrine-of.html
[5] Hierarchical theology assumes that all
mentions of Theos refer to only one
person within the Godhead—the Father, when in most cases, the reference is to
the Godhead itself Colossians
2:9. There is no such thing as the first, second, or third persons in the
Godhead. Such designations imply hierarchy where none exists and an exaggerated importance of the Father over
the Son and Holy Spirit. This is misleading as Jesus is Jehovah John 1:1.
Jesus is the Everlasting Father Isaiah 9:6. The Holy Spirit is Jehovah Acts 5:3-4. The Holy Spirit is the father of that holy thing which was conceived in the womb of Mary Matthew 1:18 & 20, Luke 1:35.
The name Jehovah YHWH encompasses the fullness of the Godhead. In Heaven, there is no BIG GOD who is the Father, followed by two little gods who are the son and the holy spirit. Elohiym is the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit. The Being who created and redeemed all things, the Godhead Elohiym [Genesis 1:1] is not a three-god triad. “Hear O Israel YHWH Jehovah Elohiym OUR GODS is ONE YHWH Jehovah”.
The Hebrew word, Elohiym, is the plural form of the word, Elohwahh. Elohwahh, is the singular form of the word for God, which occurs in Deuteronomy 32:15 and 56 more times in the Hebrew text. Elohiym is the plural form of the word, God, that designates three [or more]. There is a Hebrew word for Gods that designates two. Elohiym is not that word. It means three [or more] and occurs 2,606 times in the Hebrew text. Elohiym is our creator Genesis 1:1. That means the Godhead is the Creator. Jehovah [the Godhead] is our Creator Isaiah 44:24 Jesus is Jehovah. Jesus is our Creator Colossians 1:16-17, John 1:1-3.
Jesus is the Everlasting Father Isaiah 9:6. The Holy Spirit is Jehovah Acts 5:3-4. The Holy Spirit is the father of that holy thing which was conceived in the womb of Mary Matthew 1:18 & 20, Luke 1:35.
The name Jehovah YHWH encompasses the fullness of the Godhead. In Heaven, there is no BIG GOD who is the Father, followed by two little gods who are the son and the holy spirit. Elohiym is the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit. The Being who created and redeemed all things, the Godhead Elohiym [Genesis 1:1] is not a three-god triad. “Hear O Israel YHWH Jehovah Elohiym OUR GODS is ONE YHWH Jehovah”.
The Hebrew word, Elohiym, is the plural form of the word, Elohwahh. Elohwahh, is the singular form of the word for God, which occurs in Deuteronomy 32:15 and 56 more times in the Hebrew text. Elohiym is the plural form of the word, God, that designates three [or more]. There is a Hebrew word for Gods that designates two. Elohiym is not that word. It means three [or more] and occurs 2,606 times in the Hebrew text. Elohiym is our creator Genesis 1:1. That means the Godhead is the Creator. Jehovah [the Godhead] is our Creator Isaiah 44:24 Jesus is Jehovah. Jesus is our Creator Colossians 1:16-17, John 1:1-3.
EXCERPT FROM: JESUS, GOD OF THE BURNING BUSH: ETERNAL FATHER BELOVED SON
When
Jesus said that God was His Father,
He was referring to the Godhead. The Bible says that God is not a man, so we
will not refer to the One God as the first, second, or third person of the Trinity. Those are
hierarchical designations…that do not exist.
The Father is the one who beget Jesus?
Who
did the angel tell Joseph that Holy Thing within Mary’s womb was conceived
by?
Wasn’t Jesus conceived by the Holy Spirit?
Isn’t
a child’s Father that person by which he is conceived?
Wouldn’t that make the Holy Spirit Jesus’
Father?
Do we
find a contradiction here? No, there is no contradiction when we understand
that the prophets spoke the truth when they foretold the coming to earth in the
form of a man, not the “second person of the Godhead,” but rather, the Almighty.
In
Colossians we read that all the fullness of the Godhead resides in our
Savior in physical form.
This
had to be so because the Almighty declared that there was no Savior but
Himself. He also declared that He created all things by Himself, alone.
Out
goes the theory that the Father used a subordinate Son to create all things.
That “subordinate Jesus” the Father used
in creation goes hand in glove with the insidious Arian lie that Jesus was
Himself a created being—the first creation of God—who was then used to create
all other things (complementarian expositors conveniently cherry-pick Arius’
teachings expunging overtly unacceptable portions). The Bible says that in the
beginning Elohiym (The triune God) created the heavens and the earth. Who
created man? Elohiym, the Triune
God—the Godhead—created man. Let Us
create man in Our image.
[6] Paul makes reference to the coming or
appearing of Jesus 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 in almost every one of
his letters to the churches. That is a reference to Bible prophecy as well his
own revelation, which aligns perfectly with the Law and the prophets
.
.
[7] Deuteronomy 10:17, YHWH is Lord of Lords.
Jesus is Yahweh.
[8]
Psalm 136:3, YHWH is the high and
lofty one who inhabits Eternity (has immortality). Jesus is Yahweh.
[9] This verse refers to the Godhead. Jehovah
(YHWH)
in all his fullness is the Godhead, and no one can see the Godhead and live. Moses
spoke with God face to face (Exodus 33:11) and lived, but God put his hand over
Moses’ face (Exodus 33:18-23) when he partially granted his request to see His
Glory (the Godhead in all its fullness) and only allowed him to see His back
parts as He passed by...
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